Double impatiens plant named &#39;Cameo Salmon Glow&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Double Impatiens plant named ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’, characterized by its compact, mounded to semi-upright plant habit; rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense foliage, freely flowering habit; fully double flower form; and large salmon-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Plant PatentApplication No. 60/603,780 filed Aug. 23, 2004, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Impatiens walleriana

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Cameo Salmon Glow’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Impatienswalleriana known by the varietal name ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’. The newvariety is a product of a planned breeding program conducted in Cartago,Costa Rica. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop compactand mounded cultivars with fully double flowers, large flower size, andinteresting flower colors. The new variety originated from a cross madeof two proprietary selections of Impatiens walleriana: IDXBZW-1 (femaleparent) (unpatented) and IDXBZW-2 (male parent) (unpatented).Comparisons between the new variety and its parents cannot be made, asthe parental varieties no longer exist. The cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny ofthe stated cross in a controlled environment in Cartago, Costa Rica.Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings has shownthat the unique features of the new variety are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive propagations by asexual reproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’. Characteristicsthat distinguish ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’ as a new and distinct cultivar fromothers known to the breeder include:

1) Large flower size of about 5.0 cm in diameter;

2) Compact, mounded to semi-upright growth habit;

3) Freely branching habit;

4) Rounded leaves with dense foliage;

5) Time to produce a finished plant in a 10 cm pot is 5 to 6 weeks; and

6) Salmon-colored flowers are carried above the leaf canopy and faceupward.

Plants of the new variety can be compared to plants of the Impatienswalleriana cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,313. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plantsof the new variety differed from plants of the cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’in the following characteristics:

1) Plants of the new variety had a mounded to semi-upright plant habit,whereas plants of the cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’ had a mounded, spreadingplant habit;

2) Plants of the new variety had flowers with a larger diameter thanplants of the cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’;

3) Plants of the new variety had a stem color of 147C with a cast of184B, the cast being heaviest at the nodes, whereas plants of thecultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’ had a stem color of 146B;

4) Plants of the new variety had flowers with a color of 47C withstreaks of 52C, whereas plants of the cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’ hadflowers with a color of 41D; and

5) Plants of the new variety had more petals per flower than plants ofthe cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographic drawing illustrates the newvariety, with the colors being as nearly true as is possible to obtainin colored illustrations of this type.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The cultivar ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length and lightintensity. However, there is no variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grownunder commercial practice during the late winter through early spring of2003 in Lompoc, Calif. in a corrugated polycarbonate-covered greenhousewith 30% shade covering. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 21 to 24° C.; night temperatures ranged from 16to 18° C.; and light levels ranged from 4000 to 5000 foot candles oflight. Plants used in the following description were grown in 15 cmcontainers for about nine to ten weeks after planting rooted cuttings.

Propagation

-   Type cutting: Terminal cuttings.-   Time to initiate roots:    -   -   Summer.—About 10 days at 21° C.        -   Winter.—About 12 days at 21° C.-   Time to produce a rooted cutting:    -   -   Summer.—About 21 days at 21° C.        -   Winter.—About 21 days at 21° C.-   Root description: Fibrous, fine, white in color.-   Root habit: Freely branching, dense.

Plant Description

-   General appearance: Compact and mounded to semi-upright. Appropriate    for 10-15 cm pots and 20 to 25 cm hanging basket containers.-   Growth and branching habit: Vigorous and freely-branching habit with    at least 10 lateral branches developing per plant, dense growth.    Pinching (removal of terminal apex) is usually not required.-   Crop time: Relatively rapid growth rate.    -   -   From planting one rooted cutting in a 10 cm pot.—About 5 to            6 weeks.        -   From planting three rooted cuttings in a 25 cm hanging            basket container.—About 8 to 10 weeks.-   Plant height at flowering: About 18 to 21 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 18 to 21 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 8 to 10 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 to 3 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—147C with a cast of 184C, the cast being heaviest at            the nodes.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; densely foliated.        -   Length.—About 5 to 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 to 3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Serrated with fine ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 137A. Developing            leaves, lower surface: 147C. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 148B.            Venation, upper surface: 147C. Venation, lower surface:            137A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 8 to 10 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture upper and lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            146C with a slight cast of 184C.

Flower Description

-   Flower type and habit: Numerous and consistently double    salmon-colored flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flower    buds open similar to a rose in fullness; flowers rounded. Usually 8    to 15 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned    above the foliage and typically face outward to upward. Flowers last    about 7 to 10 days on the plant. Flowers not persistent. Flowers not    fragrant.-   Flowering season: Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the    garden, flowering from spring until fall. Flowering indeterminate    and continuous.-   Flower diameter: About 4.5 to 5 cm.-   Flower depth (height): About 2 cm.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Rate of opening.—From full color bud to full open flower,            about 5 to 7 days is typical depending on temperature.        -   Length.—About 15 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 12 mm.        -   Shape.—Almost round.        -   Color (just before opening).—47B.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—About 30 to 35; imbricate.        -   Length, outer petals.—About 20 to 22 mm.        -   Width, outer petals.—About 18 to 20 mm.        -   Shape.—Cordate.        -   Apex.—Rounded with most petals showing indentations.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, smooth.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: 47B with streaks of 54A.            When opening, lower surface: 54A with a cast of 41C around            the mid rib. Fully opened, upper surface: 47C fading to 51A            with streaks of 52C. Fully opened, lower surface: 52C with a            cast of 41C around the mid rib.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—About 30 to 35 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Angle.—About 45° to the lateral branch.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—147C with a cast of 184D.-   Reproductive organs: Not applicable due to full double flowers.-   Fruit/seed development: Fruit and seed development has not been    observed.-   Disease/Pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to date to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Impatiens.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been    observed to be tolerant to rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from    5 to 38° C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Impatiens named ‘Cameo Salmon Glow’ asherein described and illustrated